“I am Michela Cariolaro, born in Vicenza in 1964. I come from a hard-working, affectionate and encouraging family, to whom I owe a lot. My first classical and historical-artistic education, combined with decades of experience as a teacher, publicist and designer in the goldsmithing sector laid a foundation whose importance I still recognize today – when I made the decision at the age of 34 to make a drastic professional and life change with my husband – that extended beyond the specific agriculture and cooking courses I then attended. I have evolved in an ethical sense, but my personality has remained unchanged.

I have a taste for designing that starts from an idea and ends as a dream that becomes reality, in no matter what context. A precious and unique object, a home for my family, a farm that implements biodiversity, a recipe that invents or reinvents, a menu that is structured to satisfy the desires of a married couple with the best ingredients of the period, a course or a recreational activity that I could propose, a label or a logo that represents my products in a better way…I love delving deeper starting from what was, improving, experimenting, enhancing, communicating personally rather than via social media. Work with your head and hands. At Palazzetto Ardi I take care of the house and garden, of the often substantial details that bring comfort and well-being to my family and guests. And in the countryside, first and foremost, plant production, from the seeds to their care and harvesting: fruit, vegetables, aromatic herbs and cereals which, from the land, pass through the kitchen where I work with Flora and arrive on the table or in the pantry in a thousand healthy seasonal variations.

Unfortunately or fortunately, I don’t know how to set limits to my schedule, enthusiasm and gratitude! I’ll tell you a secret: in the kitchen I always start a day early, not to pre-bake, but to refresh the sourdough starter for the bread.”